What is an ambulatory blood pressure monitor? An ambulatory blood pressure monitor records your blood pressure at regular intervals over a 24 hour period. “Ambulatory” just refers to the fact that you can walk around and perform all your normal activities during the day. Just as the doctor or nurse in the clinic takes your blood pressure, this monitor takes it over a longer period of time, normally 24 h
ours.
A 24 hour monitor gives a very accurate record of BP and is particularly useful in diagnosis & monitoring of hypertension.
The Process
The nurse will place a blue cuff around your arm, and a holster containing the ABPM monitor around your waist. One blood pressure reading will be taken by the nurse to show you what to expect.
The cuff will start to fill with air and get quite tight on your arm for a few seconds while it takes your blood pressure. This feels a little uncomfortable but it is very normal. Then the cuff deflates and the reading is recorded in the monitor.
Over a 24 hour period the BP Cuff will inflate every 30 minutes during your daily activities, and change to every hour at night while you sleep. The BP Cuff must remain on your arm an entire 24 hour period. You should wear comfortable loose clothing so the monitor is not visible when you are wearing it.You will need to go about your normal activities while wearing the monitor.
The monitor provides details of how your blood pressure behaves when you are going about your normal daily life. It gives us information about what your blood pressure is like when you are stressed, relaxed, working, sleeping, eating, drinking etc.
When you return with the monitor, the nurse will transfer the details into a computer and a report will be printed. This report is sent to the doctor who requested the test, who will then decide whether any further action is required.
Example of a 24 hour Blood Pressure Monitor Reading